Continuous fruit pitting or coring machine



June 15, 1954 R. F. KRUPP ET AL 2,681,088

' CONTINUOUS FRUIT PITTING OR CORING MACHINE Filed Aug. 3, 1951 6 Shee'ts-Sheec 1 ROBERT F i r fi ICE 9.1. gal/L- 1-". LEA v/rr WWW ATTORNEYS June 15, 1954 R. F. KRUPP ETAL CONTINUOUS FRUIT FITTING OR CORING MACHINE 1 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3, 1951 INVENTOR.3 ROBERT F. KRUPP PAUL F. LEAV/TT BY' A fro/m5 rs June 15, 1954 R. F. KRUPP ET AL CONTINUOUS FRUIT FITTING OR CORING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 5, 1951 IN V EN TOR. 3 ROBERT F. K/FUPP Bil AUL F-LEAV/TT ATTORNEY-5' June 15, 1954 R. F. KRUPP ET AL CONTINUOUS FRUIT PITTING 0R CORING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 3, 1951 M m 0 K mw m V NRV N K R F,L T R W EL Wu Rmw m June 15, 1954 R. F. KRUPP ET AL 2,631,083

CONTINUOUS FRUIT FITTING 0R CORING MACHINE Filed Aug. 3, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS June 15, 1954 R. F. KRUPP ETAL CONTINUOUS FRUIT FITTING OR CORING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 5, 1951 INVENTbRfi' ROBERTF. KRUPP PAUL F. LEAV/TT ATTORNEYS Patented June 15, 1954 UNITED STATS TENT OFFICE CONTINUOUS FRUIT FITTING IOR CORING MACHINE Michigan Application August 3, 1951, Serial No. 240,168

1 Claims. 1

This invention relates to continuous fruit pitting or coring machine. More particularly, the invention relates to a machine wherein fruits such as, for example, peaches and apples may be processed for the removal of pits and cores, and optionally the meat of the fruit may simultaneously be sliced into sections. One of the distinguishing features of the present invention is the fact that the fruit advances continuously rather than intermittently through the machine. In order to remove the pit or core, a plunger is provided which moves down through the fruit to locate and cut around the pit or core, and a knock-out rod which pushes the core or pit through an aperture at the bottom of the cup bearing the fruit as the plunger reaches the bottom of its stroke.

In operation, the plunger is elevated at the beginning of the cycle, indexes forwardly so as to come down through the fruit to cut out the pit or core, advancing as the fruit advances, knocks out the pit or core, elevates and then indexes forwardly so as to be in position to remove the pit or core from the next cup in order. The motion of the plunger is controlled by means of cranks and cams so that the path of said plunger is such as to perform the desired function without injuring the meat of the fruit to any considerable extent. The mechanism whereby the motion is imparted to the plunger is, therefore, one of the primary features of the present invention.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the machine viewed from the discharge end of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a part of the machine.

Fig. 2a is a side elevation of the remainder of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the motion imparted to the fruit plungers and knockout rods.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a portion of the cam and crank structure governing motions of the coring and pitting plunger.

Fig. 5 is a top plan of peach carrying cups and associated mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the structure of Fig. 5 and also showing a vertical midsection through one cup and a portion of a plunger associated therewith.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a cup and plunger in vertical section, together with associated mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan of a plunger.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation of a plunger and associated mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of apple carrying cups and associated mechanism.

Fig. 11 is a vertical midsection through the structure of Fig. 10 and also showing two coring plungers, one with and one without slicing blades.

Fig. 12 is a vertical section of a portion of the cam structure governing motion of the knockout rods.

The frame A supporting the hereinafter described mechanism comprises two longitudinally disposed halves on opposite sides of the machine suitably tied together. The frame A provides a suitable support for the various stations of the machine hereinafter described. Thus, at the forward end of the machinei. e., at the right as viewed in Fig. 2avertical standards 25 are provided supporting the upper and lower horizontal longitudinal frame members 22 and 23, respectively, and further braces 2-: are provided for the feeder station B located proximate the front end of the machine. The upper and lower horizontal frame members 22 and 23 provide a support for the conveyor C which conveys the fruit from the feeder B to the coring and pitting mechanism D, located at the rear of the machine. The distance between the feeder B and the pitting station D is elongated so as to provide space for attendants to inspect and manually straighten the fruit in the conveying mechanism as it passes toward the coring and pitting mechanism. On opposite sides of the machine are vertical members Z6 and angular members 21 joined together at the top and joined to horizontal members 22 and 23 adjacent the coring or pitting station to provide a rigid support for the coring and pitting mechanism hereinafter described and join said mechanism D to conveyor C.

The details of the feeder station E form no part of the present invention, and it may be stated that fruit is deposited on an inclined corrugated table 35 vibrated by motor 36 which allows the fruit to roll down and locate in the conveyor C hereinafter described.

The conveying mechanism 0 consists essen-.

tially of two parallel roller chains 5i longitudinally disposed on opposite sides of the machine, there being a plurality of transversely extending frame members 52, each frame member 52 being fastened to a link of chain 5!. The frame mem- 3 here 52 support rows of cups 53 in which the fruit rests, as hereinafter appears.

Roller chains 55, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, are slightly modified from conventional chains in that each inner link 54 is formed as an angle in cross-section (see especially 6) the flange 55 of said link extending toward the center of the machine and pro'vidinga means whereby transverse frame members 52 may be fixed to chain 5! by bolts 5'5. Chains 55 are advanced at equal speed by means of sprockets E! on opposite sides of the rear of the machine, said sprockets being keyed to transverse shaft 52. Shaft 32 bears a large spur gear 63 meshing with spur pinion $4 on transverse shaft 65, said shaft 35 beingdriven by gear 67 keyed thereto, which is in turn driven by pinion 58 on shaft till. Shaft E9 bears sprocket l driven by chain ll from sprocket l2 of shaft T of electric motor 14. All of the mechanism hereinafter described is also driven by said electric motor i i. At the front end of the machine are idler sprockets is on each side mounted on shaft ll, which shaft ll is carried by chain tightener 18 of conventional design. Idler sprockets 79 are also provided at the bottom adjacent each side of the rear of the machine to maintain chains 5! tight. Longitudinal frame members 22 and 23 are each in the shape of an inwardly facing channel so as to provide a trackway maintaining position of chains 5!.

In Figs. 5, 6 and '1 are shown the fruit carrier members for peaches. The modification of the machine adapting it to the coring of apples will be hereinafter separately described. Peach cups 53 are each attached to apertured transverse frame members Each cup 53 comprises a base member 36 and a rubber cup member 32. Base member 8E is cylindrical at its periphery El and attached to frame member 52 by bolts 33. The central portion 8 3 of the base member ill is generally semi-spherical in section having an aperture 86 at the bottom of a diameter greater than the major transverse axis of a peach pit. Side edge members l support the central depending semi-spheroidal portion 34. Bonded to base 8! is rubber cup 82 dimensioned so as to receive a peach or other fruit and support the same. Annulus 88 in the center, of lesser diameter than the hole 88 in the base 8!, is provided through which the pits may be squeezed as hereinafter described in the operation of the machine. Annulus $8 is rounded in cross-section at a radius of (see Fig. 7). Outwardly of annulus 86 the surface of cup 82 is the complement of a straight-sided cone having its side slanted to the horizontal at an angle of 30 as indicated by reference numeral as. The portion next in order outwardly of portion 39 is a spherical section 93 having a radius of 1 and a center of curvature upward from the bottom of cup 82 a distance of The outer margin 98a of cup $2 is flat and horizontal. This shape has been found to be most satisfactory for peaches, A row of four cup members 53 is attached to each frame member 52 in the preferred embodiment herein illustrated. Said cup members 53 are abutting one another extending transversely across the machine. It will be understood that four peaches are disposed in the four cups of each transverse frame member 52 so that four peaches are pitted simultaneously by the pitting i iechanism hereinafter described.

Above the path of the transverse frame members 52 are four hollow pitting plungers 9!, one for each cup. Said plungers are formed at their anterior portions in a. plurality of flutes 92. There are preferably eight thin, radially disposed flutes 92 extending outwardly from the central bore 93 of the plunger. The lower edges of each fiute 92 are recessed at about a forty-five degree angle as indicated by reference numeral as as seen especially in Fig. 7. Thus, as the plunger moves downwardly through the peach, the flutes 92 engage the pit and move it centrally with respect to the plunger 9i so that as said plunger reaches the end of its stroke, the pit is located immediately above the hole 88 in the bottom of rubber cup member 92. Pit knockout rod t l moves within the central bore 93 of plunger fil and is actuated separately by a cam mechanism hereinafter described. Thus rod tit moves downwardly as plunger 9! reaches the bottom of its stroke and pushes the peach pit through the hole 88 in the bottom of cup member 82, the resilient edge 33 of cup member performs two functions, it supports the lower half of the fruit in such manner as to retain large segments of fruit from breaking away and being wasted or badly damaged and also squeezing the meat oif the pit as it passes through said hole thereby conserving the quantity of peach retained for further processing. It will be seen that a pair of semi-circular, thin bladed knives 96 is fixed to diametrically opposed flutes, said knives operating to cut the peach meat into halves as plunger 2! moves dow wardly. The radius of knives 96 approximately equals the spherical portion 96 of cup 82 so that a proper slicing action is accomplished. be understood that instead of two knives ii'rl, four or more could be employed as desired, or that the use of such knives may be eliminated.

The upper end of each plunger 9i passes through the crosshead Ill! which extends transversely across the machine and is adjustably secured by means of nuts H32 on the top and bottom of said crosshead so that the motion of said crosshead is imparted to each of said plungers. Crosshead it! is rigidly attached at each side of the machine to slide I03 which bears upper and lower sleeves Hi4 and 105, respectively, engaging pendulum rod it'll. Thus, crosshead Edi may slide up and down on pendulum rod till. Rod lEil on each side of the machine is keyed to transverse shaft 193 pivotally mounted on the top of the machine. Thus, as slide i233 reciprocates axially of pendulum rod Nil, said pendulum rod is also subject to an oscillatory motion by means of its pivotal mounting.

The peculiar motion imparted to crosshead is the resultant of a crank and a cam motion, imparted upon rotation of transverse shaft 55, which, as has been stated, is driven by electric motor shaft 73. The inner face of gear bears groove cam I l l said cam l i receiving cam roller H3 which is mounted on the lower end of cam follower arm H t, of dog-legged shape, the upper end of which is fixed to the lower end of pendulum rod 60? by means of fitting lit. The face of gear 6? opposite cam ii i is provided with eccentrio crank pin M7 to which is attached the lower end of connecting rod I 58, the upper end of which is attached to pin H9 to slide m3 and thus to crosshead ml. As shaft lifirotates, the lower-end It Willv of pendulum rod ill? is given a movement defined V by cam Hi. At thesame time crosshead lill is caused to slide on pendulum rod l @l by reason of pin Ill on the opposite the eccentricity of crank faceofcamlll. f .1

Knockout rods M which slide within the bore 93 of hollow plungers 91 receive a motion which;-

is a combination of the motion of said plungers 9i and an independent motion imparted thereto by face cam I31 on the inner face of gear I36 on transverse shaft I32. Gear I36 is driven from motor I by pinion 68 on shaft 69. Two pit punchout arms I36 are mounted on shaft I31, which shaft extends transversely across the machine and supported by frame members 21. Arms I36 are bifurcated at the ends adjacent shaft I31, the bifurcations I38 receiving shaft I3'I. The outer bifurcation I38 carries cam roller I39 engaging the groove I3I in cam I36. The upper ends of rods 9% are held by transverse frame MI and the ends M2 of arms i313 are connected to frame MI by pivot links 543. Slide I66 is attached to frame I-il at its lower end and its upper end slides on rod IIll. Thus, frame MI swings with rod ill! and is moved up and down on rod I6! by cam I3I, the motion of which is transmitted by follower I39, arm I36 and links i 33. Rods 94 receive the motion of frame Mil and slide within plungers 9 I.

Operation of pitter Peaches are deposited in feeder B and flow down through troughs in table 35 so that a peach is deposited in each of the cups 82 as said cups t2 pass under the lower end of said feeder. As the peaches travel on the conveyor C from the feeder B to the pitter D, attendants inspect and locate the peaches in the cups with the stem up or down. The combination of motions of cam I! I and crank i ll imparts to the lower end of each plunger 5% a motion shown in Fig. 3. The angles noted on Fig. 3, which diagrammatically shows the paths of the lower ends of plungers 9i and of knockout rods 96, are based upon the angle of rotation of crank pin I H, with 0 corresponding with the uppermost elevation of said pin. At the commencement of the cycle (0), plunger 9i is at the top of its stroke at point a and rod 66 is at the top dwell of its stroke at point 11. During the first 67 of rotation, the plungers 9i index forwardly to position b to meet the oncoming peaches, which are continuously moving rearwardly in cups and also move downwardly somewhat during this angular rotation. Thereafter the plungers 9i move rapidly downwardly and also rearwardly, to point d at 157 the plunger recessed portions 95 locating and centering the pit within the peach and pushing the pit down to hole 68 in the bottom of the cup 82. Meanwhile rod 6:; continued its up position dwell to point c (90) and then continued with plunger 9| to point (1. From point d at 157 to point 1 at 202 the plunger 6! dwells at the bottom of its stroke while the knockout rods 96 are ejecting the pits from the cups by moving down to point e at the bottom of the stroke (180) and then retracts within the plunger at point f. From point f to point it (292 plungers 9| rise and move rearwardly with the fruit. Then commencing at point it and around past point a to point 12, the plungers index forwardly to meet the next advancing row of fruit. Meanwhile, knockout rods 94 reach the top of their stroke at point g (270) and dwell at said elevation while plungers 6! continue to rise. It will be seen that the forward indexing of plungers are at the top of their stroke and that during the period while said plungers are in contact with the fruit, they move at the rearward speed of the fruit, thereby damaging the fruit as little as possible. The shape of the path of plunger 9|, as shown in Fig. 3 is a skewed ellipse.

As the rows of cups approach the pitting mechanism D, plungers 9! are at the upper end of their stroke (point a on Fig. 3) and are advancing forwardly to meet the peaches. Plungers 9i move downwardly, cutting downwardly through the meat at the top of the peach, locating the pit and centering the same with respect to hole 88 and finally moving down until the lower end of plunger 9| contacts cup 82, the pit being forced partially through hole 88 and meat being squeezed off the pit by reason of the resilient nature of cup 82. At the bottom of the stroke of plunger 9| knockout rods 94 push the pits the remaining distance through hold 88. Simultaneously with the downward movement of plunger 6!, knives 96, the use of which is optional, have sliced the peach into halves, quarters, etc. Plunger SI then moves upward, and if the peachhalf tends to cling to said plungers 9|, the same is dislodged by parallel transverse rods I5I attached to fittings :I I6 and extending across the machine alongside the rows of plungers 9i. Meanwhile, plungers SI are indexing forwardly to meet the next advancing row of peaches and knockout rods 94 have retracted within bores 93. The peach meats are carried along in conveyor C to the rear of the machine, and as the roller chains 5| make the bend around the sprocket iii, the meats are dislodged from the cups and fall by gravity into a container or conveyor placed under the rear end of the machine.

Apple co rz'nlg The mechanism, hereinabove described, has been restricted to a description of pitting of peaches and the like. It is also readily adaptable to coring of apples, only three changes being required, namely the cups holding the fruit, the plunger performing the coring operation and retiming of cam I30 with respect to cam III. It is unnecessary to use rubber cups for apples since no squeezing of the meat from the core is required. Instead four single cups I6I are aligned to frame 52, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Cup depressions I62 are formed in said cup frame it i, said depressions being semispheroidal in contour to hold the bottom of an apple and being provided with grooves I63 in their surfaces to provide for holding the apple, and clearance for slicing knives I66 optionally carried by corer I66, as hereinafter described. (Fig. 11 shows knives I64 on the left-hand corer but not on the right-hand corer.) Apples are deposited in the cups I6I from feeder B, and the attendants at the inspection station inspect and locate the apples properly in the cups, calyx side up.

The shape of the corer I66is shown in Fig. 11. It will be seen that said corer comprises a hollow tube within which moves knockout rod 94, said corer having an elongated, rounded point I6! formed as best shown in Fig. 11. In operation, said point I6! penetrates the apple as the latter moves rearwardly and corer I66 moves downwardly through the meat encircling the core until point I61 reaches the bottom of cup I62 whereupon knockout rod 94 pushes the core from inside corer I66 through hole I68 in the bottom of the cup. In other respects the operation of the apple coring modification of the machine is identical with the peach pitter. For certain types of peaches it is preferred to use a hollow cylindrical plunger such as disclosed in corer I66 in the peach pitter rather than the fluted plunger 9|.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a fruit pitting and coring machine, the combination of a conveyor having an extended horizontal stretch, fruit receiving pockets advanced by said conveyor, first means arranged continuously to advance said conveyor, a pitting and coring plunger elevated above a portion of the horizontal stretch of said conveyor, second means arranged to move the fruit engaging end of said plunger in a skewed elliptic path viewed in side elevation, said second means advancing said fruit engaging end in elevated position to a position over one of said pockets, then moving said fruit engaging end downwardly and in position over said pocket to cut around the pit or core of the fruit held in said pocket at the bottom or" the path of said plunger, then elevating as said pocket continues to advance, and then moving forwardly to position to pit or core the fruit in the next pocket in order, the advancing, downward and elevating movements of the fruit engaging end of said plunger occurring while said pocket is proceeding along the horizontal stretch of said conveyor, said first means and second means operating in timed relation, said second means comprising a pivot elevated vertically above said conveyor, a pendulum rod swinging about said pivot with its lower end elevated above said conveyor, and a cross-head on, which said plunger is mounted, said cross-head being mounted for axially slidable movement on said pendulum rod, a crank, a connecting rod connecting said crank and said cross-head to impart sliding movement of said cross-head on said pendulum rod, a cam fixed for rotation with said and a cam-follower arm engaging said cam connected to said pendulum arm, said cam being shaped so that the resultant of rotation of said cam and crank moves said plunger'in said path.

2. A machine according to claim 1 in which is further provided a knockout-rod slidable axially in a bore in said plunger, a second cross-head which said knockout rod is mounted, said second cross-head oeirn axially slidable on said pendulum rod independently of said first crosshead, a second cam rotatable in timed relation with said first cam, anda second cam-follower arm engaging said second cam and arranged to impart movement to said second cross-head, said second cam being shaped so that the resultant of movement of said pendulum arm and rotation of said second cam projects said knockout rod beyond the end of said plunger at the bottom of the stroke or said plunger.

3. In a fruit pitting machine, a rigid frame, said frame having an extended horizontal portion, a loading station at one end of said hori- 8 zontal portion, a vertical portion of said frame at the opposite end of said horizontal portion from said loading station, a conveyor arranged for movement around said horizontal portion of said frame, first means for continuously driving said conveyor, a series of fruit receiving cups advanced by said conveyor, each having a pitdischarging annulus at the bottom, a pair of pendulum rods each mounted on one side of the machine adjacent the top of said vertical portion of said frame, a cross-head, a pair of slides fixed to said cross-head at each side of said cross-head slidable axially on said pendulum rod, cam rotatable in timed relation to said conveyor, a crank fixed for eq ui-angular movement with said cam, a connecting rod connecting said crank and one of said slides to impart a vertically reciprocatory component of motion to said slide, a cam follower engaging said cam and connected to the lower end of said pendulum rod to impart a horizontally reciprocatory component of motion to said slide, and a fruit-pitting plunger rigidly mounted on said cross-head, the resultant of said motion components elevating and depressing said plunger in a path such that at the bottom of its stroke the bottom end of said plunger engages the bottom or" one of said cups and in the course immediately before and after said last-mentioned position said plunger advances with a horizontal component of velocity substantially equal to the velocity of said conveyor and in the remainder of said course said plunger elevates out of contact with fruit in said cups and indexes to meet the next cup in order.

4. A machine, according to claim 3, which further comprises a second cross-head, a second pair of slides fixed to said second cross-head at each side of said second cross-head slidable axially on said pendulum rod, a second cam rotatable in timed relation to said conveyor, means for imparting motion from said second cam to said second crosshead, and a knockout rod rigidly mounted on said second cross-head and axially slidable within a, borein said plunger, the resultant of motion pf said pendulum rod and said second cam projecting said knockout rod beyond the lower end of said plunger the bottom of the stroke of said plunger to push a Unit pit out through the annulus of said cup.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 397,691 Briggs Feb. 12, 1889 1,136,569 Colborne Apr. 20, 1915 1,610,236 Ayars Dec. 14, 1925 1,817,967 Coons Aug. 11, 1931 2,092,956 Connor. et al Sept. 14, 1937 2,097,170 Wilson Oct. 26, 1937 2,157,518 Ashlock Q May 9, 1939 2,243,530 Kok May 27, 1941 

